


Life in the Amamiya House

by KROWRIM



Category: Catherine (Video Game), Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:53:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23500054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KROWRIM/pseuds/KROWRIM
Summary: Yoshizawa didn't know what to expect when she went to meet Ren's parents for the first time. She definitely didn't expect this.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Yoshizawa Kasumi, Kujikawa Rise/Narukami Yu, Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Kasumi, Persona 5 Protagonist/Yoshizawa Kasumi, Vincent Brooks/Katherine McBride
Comments: 33
Kudos: 202





	1. The Arrival

Sumire knew Ren lived out in the country but she definitely didn't think it was this far out. She had gotten on the train early that morning since Ren did say it would take a while but she was thinking maybe a train transfer. Not an hour ride then two train transfers. Luckily Ren did send her directions and told her to text him when she was about 15 minutes out. Once she stepped out onto the older platform she realized just how isolated Inaba was.

The closest city was about a 3 hour drive away while it was an hour by train. The buildings here were still country like and the streets were so deserted she thought she may have gotten off on the wrong stop. She walked out of the one room station and almost immediately spotted a head of fluffy hair leaning against a bike looking at a phone. She could hardly contain the smile forming on her face. She walked towards him before sneaking the rest of the way.

"Hello~"

Ren turned just as she jumped on him with her arms wide open.

"Senpai!"

She could hear Ren laugh as he wrapped his arms around his younger girlfriend. He set her down and planted a quick kiss on her head before a familiar head popped up from around the corner.

"Hello there Yoshizawa." Morgana greeted.

Sumire bent down to pet the, not, cat causing him to purr.

"Hello Mona. How are you doing?" She asked.

"Pretty good. Just trying to keep this one out of trouble."

They both turned to Ren who was just smiling.

"Are you staying out of trouble?"

Ren smirked as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I try." He stated.

Sumire just sighed as she turned to take a look at the area. They were in a shopping district that would be closer to Central Street despite it's small size. She recalled hearing about Inaba for the first time a while back when there was murders going on but they did end up catching the killer and they stopped. When Ren first told her about his hometown the first question she asked, of course, was if he knew about them. Ren just said he knew some people who actually helped with the case.

So the question here is, why was she in Inaba visiting Ren? Well for starters, he is her boyfriend. It was actually his idea for her to visit. She had just gotten done with a rather tough competition and Ren suggested she visit the countryside for a few days to which she agreed. After a long week of trying to convince her father that is. Ren was now in his third year while Sumire was in her second and the two had been dating for over a year now. Surely she could visit him and stay at his place for a few days. Plus his parents would be there! 

She decided that she liked the small town and turned back to her boyfriend who was talking to Morgana about something. Morgana nodded and began to walk down the street.

"I'll see you later at the house. I have some stuff to do." He said as he jumped on top of a stone wall.

Sumire watched him dissapear before turning back to her boyfriend who was a few feet away. She looked over his shoulder to see a motorcycle with two helmets.

"Is that yours?!" She asked.

Ren nodded and handed her a black helmet which she took. He grabbed his own and got on the bike signaled him to follow. She climbed on and wrapped her arms around him.

"Welcome to Inaba." He said before taking off.  
\------------  
It was about 15 minutes before they showed up at a house in the residential district. It was a nice and simple two story house. Ren parked and waited for her to hop off before climbing off himself and got the helmets to put away.

"Wow. It's so quiet." Sumire observed.

Compared to Tokyo, it was silent. Sure she could still hear a car here and there but besides that it was eerily calm. Ren came back from tucking the helmts away and held out his hand which she took. The two walked up to the house before Ren suddenly stopped.

"It just hit me that you're about to meet my parents for the first time."

Sumire just stared at him for a moment before it hit her as well.

"Oh, uh, I'm sure I'll be fine." She reassured.

The two stood there in front of the door for a bit before the door in front of them opened. A man with equally fluffy hair and bags under his eyes walked out with a pack of cigarettes. He brought one to his mouth and was about to light it before he noticed the two teens in the front yard.

"Oh. Hello there."

He put the cigarette back in the case and shoved it into his shirt pocket.

"You're back pretty early. I thought it was gonna be another hour." The man said looking at Ren.

"She got on the first train. I thought you quit." Ren said crossing his arms.

The man shrugged before handing his pack to Ren who put it in his own pocket. The man then turned to Sumire and smiled.

"So you must be my son's girlfriend. My name is Vincent. I'm this knucklehead's dad." The man introduced himself.

Sumire bowed as she introduced herself. Vincent looked at his son confused but Ren just signaled him to just go with it.

"Uh, nice to meet you finally. You don't have to be all proper here though. On that note don't bother calling me Mr. Amamiya or anything. Just call me Vincent. Vince if it suits you."

He welcomed them in and the two entered the home. It was very comfy on the inside. It was a older traditional house while made Sumire kind of jealous since she had to live in an apartment most of her life. It wasn't anything grand but she could tell that the reason Ren felt at home in LeBlanc was because the two were so similar.

Vincent told them to get comfortable before disappearing to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Sumire ended up sitting on the couch looking around while Ren took her bags upstairs. He returned a bit later and walked to the kitchen but stayed on the edge of the living room.

"Where's mom?" Ren asked.

"She went out to pick some stuff up for dinner. Do you guys want some food? Did she even eat breakfast?" Vincent asked.

Ren told him to make whatever and walked back to the couch with Sumire. She smiled and went back to looking around.

"So, your dad seems cool. What does he do?" She asked.

"He's actually a private investigator. He used to work in tokyo as a salary man but he moved out here after marrying my mom. He even changed his last name to Amamiya. He's pretty cool even if he is a bit goofy." Ren explained.

"So he's like you. Cool but goofy. What about your mom?" She asked.

"Well she's a bit more...."

"Ren, I thought I told you to park your bike on the side."

A woman walked into the living room and noticed the two on the couch. She had long straight hair and wore a pair of glasses.

"Oh. Hello there. You must be Yoshizawa. I'm Katherine Amamiya. Nice to meet you."

Sumire stood up and bowed before introducing herself.

"A girl with manners. And she's cute. I see my son did well. You don't have to be so proper here though. Would you like some tea?"

"Already on it babe."

Vincent entered the room with a tray of tea which he set on the small coffee table. Everyone grabbed a cup and Ren let out a yawn. Sumire noticed this as did Vincent.

"Didn't sleep last night? Nightmares?" He asked.

Ren shot a look to the man.

"Dad. Can we not talk about that in front of her?"

Sumire looked at her beau worriedly.

"Nightmares? What nightmares?" She asked.

Ren didn't answer but his mom did.

"Ever since he came back from Tokyo he's been having nightmares occasionally. He refuses to go see anyone about it though. Says he doesn't trust therapists." She explained.

That was understandable considering what they had been through. On top of that, he had been dealing with the palaces and the metaverse for far longer than she did. Plus he did have the bad side of most things with Akechi and Shido. Maybe he had some kind of PTSD? If he did he never said anything.

"It's because of those damn demons. I've been saying it since we sent him but nope. You said he would ok." Vincent said rolling his eyes.

Maybe it was because of the demo, wait. What? Demons?!

"Uh, did you say demons?" She asked to make sure she heard that right.

Vincent nodded while Katherine sighed.

"Yes. Or, what did you call them? Shadows?"

Sumire looked to Ren who shurgged.

"They'd seen some stuff back in their day to. Plus those people I had mentioned before, the ones who helped with the mystery, they're Persona users to. Morgana was the one who noticed it at first when he sensed one of them was a shadow. They know about everything." He explained.

Sumire looked around the room and saw that neither of his parents reacted to this. She just sipped on her tea.

"That being said, Catherine is coming by later. She said she wanted to meet Sumire." Vincent said.

Sumire looked to Ren's mother.

"Another Catherine. She's, unique. She'll love you though." She reassured.

Sumire smiled. This was going to be a long week, isn't it?


	2. The Other Women in Ren's Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sumire meets three surprising members of Ren's family.

Sumire and Ren sat on the couch while Ren's mother talked to her about some rather embarrassing stories from his youth. His father didn't help either. Ren was just sitting there with his face buried in his hands while his mom told Sumire the time he ran full speed into a woman's skirt when he was 4.

"Even has a kid he was always skirt chasing. Literally." Vincent joked.

"Dad." Ren groaned.

Sumire was having a blast at Ren's expense. He was happy she was getting along well with his parents but he really wished they had just stopped embarrassing him. They talked about everything. Even the time he was caught stealing candy bars from the local 7/11. He didn't hear the end of it for years. It still haunts him it seems.

"Oh! Baby you remember that one time him and Mika snuck into that horror movie? They had nightmares for weeks." Vincent reminded his wife.

Sumire raised an eyebrow at the new name.

"Who's Mika?" She asked.

Ren lifted his head and froze just as the front door opened and a series of footsteps entered. Everyone turned towards the entrance just as three girls entered the living room. Sumire immediately looked at the one who had entered first. She looked identical to Ren expect for the longer hair. She didn't wear glasses either and of course, she was a female. She wore a black wool sweater and a red knee length skirt.

The one next to her was a bit taller and had blonde hair. Her hair was tied into a bun and she actually wore black framed glasses. She had on a white blouse and a pair of tan jeans. She gave off a very mature aura that made Sumire immediately look up to her. The last one was the shortest and probably youngest. She also had her mother's hair which was cut just above her shoulders.

"Hey girls. Your brother's girlfriend is here." Vincent smirked.

Ren laughed awkwardly before turning to his father.

"I swear to God I will smother you in your sleep." He whispered loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Ren and Sumire stood up as the three girls made their way over to them.

"Right. Sumire these are my my sisters. This Aika, Mika, and Tanaka." Ren quickly introduced.

Sumire held back her laugh but this didn't go unnoticed by Mika who smiled.

"Yeah. We all have similar names. Ren here got the better end of the deal since mom got to name him." She said glaring at Ren.

Ren just smiled awkwardly while his sisters swarmed Sumire.

"Wow! You're so pretty! Is it true you do gymnastics?" The youngest, Tanaka, asked.

"So my little brother does have taste." Akia complimented.

"Aw man. I'm so jealous. I wish I had a cute girlfriend." Mika added.

Sumire just stood there overwhelmed while Ren was dragged to the kitchen by his father to help him make dinner. He silently gave an apology and wished his poor girlfriend luck.  
\----------  
Sumire found herself sitting on the roof with Ren as the sun began to set. Ren had offered to bring her up there after he got the OK to bail on his dad. It was nice to have some fresh air after his sisters had showed up and started asking her questions. Well, Mika was mostly flirting. She was surprised to learn that Ren even had sisters much less a twin.

"Sorry about my family. They can be a bit, much." Ren apologized.

The scene before them was utterly beautiful. The sunset was colorful and the water from the lake made it so much better. Sumire soon found herself leaning against Ren who smiled.

"They're fine. I got a family to. I get it. Your sisters took me off guard though. You never mentioned them." Sumire pointed out.

Run stayed quiet while he stared at the sunset. Not once since she had met him did he ever mention them. Not even when they started dating. He also never mentioned his aunt.

"It's complicated." He mumbled.

Sumrie moved so she was looking up at him from her place. She knew his whole home life was complicated. He was complicated. It was just who he was. Joker made more sense in a lot of ways where Ren became a puzzle. It was easy to tell what Joker was thinking but not never Ren. She learned that everyone on the team had looked at Ren as if he was Joker but she knew better. Everyone knew Joker. Hardly anyone knew Ren.

"What's complicated about it?" She asked.

Ren didn't say anything right away. He looked at her before taking a deep breath.

"It's hard to explain. Aika is actually my half sister. Her mom is my "aunt" Cathrine. She's half demon. Mika is my twin but I'm older by a few minutes. Tanaka is younger by 4 years. Mika swings both ways in case you hadn't noticed. And, uh, I'm not really close to any of them."

Sumire sat up allowing Ren to pull his legs up a bit to let himself rest his arms on his knees. Ren was now looking at the roof rather than the sunset. Sumire noticed the look on his face. He was thinking. Reminiscing.

"When I was 8 me and Mika got into a fight. It was about something stupid but it ended up with me running away. I spent the night down by the creek and it ended up scaring everyone. When they found me Mika blew up and called me a screw up. It's stupid but it stayed with me. After that we just drifted apart from each other. Tanaka was too young to understand anything and I was already running around causing problems. Aika was living with her mom. I became a little shit."

Ren covered his mouth before sighing. He rubbed his cheek and turned back to her.

"The night I was arrested Mika gave me an earful and we ended up yelling and screaming at each other. We said some nasty things to each other. The only ones I stayed in touch with were my parents and occasionally my aunt. Even after everything I went through in Tokyo I never really reconnected with any of them. When I came back here and I told my mom and dad about the Phantom Thieves, they sat us down and told us about Catherine and my dad's own experience with the supernatural. It came out that Aika is half demon. Everything seemed to change. Aika decided to forsake her demon heritage and the whole thing was just bizarre!" Ren finished explaining.

Sumire knew where he was coming from. She was close to her own twin after all.

"We never made up. They tried. They really did. I just went back to way things were. Me and Morgana are still running around town finding things to do so I don't have to go home." Ren confessed.

He laid down with his arms behind his head and stared at the darkening sky. Sumire looked down at him before laying down next to him smiling. Ren turned his head to looked at her and smiled. She lifted up a finger and poked his nose.

"Boop."

The two laughed before Ren pulled her close enough to kiss her cheek. He began to plant kisses all over her face casuing her to laugh harder until he suddenly found himself over her. He stopped so he could look at her. Every time he saw her he fell in love all over again. Sumire finally calmed down enough to be able to look back at him. The two stayed that way for a moment before he leaned down until their noses were touching. Before anything could happen the window opened and Vincent poked his head through the blinds.

"Dinner is ready!"

Ren sat up too quickly and found himself rolling back until he disappeared from sight. There was a sound if a branches breaking and a groan.

"You ok buddy?!" Vinceny called out.

"Yeah. I'll see you downstairs." Ren replied painfully.

Sumire sat up and turned back to Vincent who shrugged. He disappeared back into the room leaving Sumire alone on the roof.

"I think I have a mission." She whispered to herself.

"Can you grab someone to help me out?" Ren asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always wondered if Ren had any siblings. His family isn't mentioned that much.


	3. Auntie Catherine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sumire meets the unofficial member of the Amamiya Family. Ren and his sisters have a conversation.

Ren was currently sitting next to Sumire at the table while they ate the delicious dinner his mother had made. Sumire felt right at home listening to the banter between everyone even joining in the conversation every once and a while. It took a bit to realize that Ren was actuallyquiet the entire time instead just focusing on his food. Sumire heard a flap and looked behind her to see Morgana enter the home through a doggy door.

"Did they start without me again? Did they at least make some for me?" He complained.

His attention turned to the youngest member of the Amamiya family as she secretly beckoned him over to her. She slid a piece of fish to him before petting him and sending him away. Sumire decided to not say anything and instead went back to eating. She heard the front door open which confused her since everyone was already there. She turned to Ren who didn't seem to notice.

"HELLO AMAMIYAS!"

Sumire jumped at the loud voice while Ren raised an eyebrow and Aika rolled her eyes. A woman entered the dinning room wearing the most beautiful white dress Sumire had ever seen. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and her beautiful blue eyes shined in the light.

"Inside voice mother." Aika scolded.

The woman pouted before taking a seat next to her daughter.

"I swear. You're too uptight sometimes." She said crossing her arms.

"Nice of you to join us Catherine." Katherine welcomed.

"Thank you for the invite! I was so excited when you told me our little Momo would be having his girlfriend visiting." The blonde haired woman replied.

Sumire looked to Ren with a smile.

"Our little Momo?" She questioned.

"A family nickname. Tanaka couldn't pronounce my name so she started to call me Momo and everyone followed." He quickly explained before Catherine looked at her with wide eyes.

"OH my God she's so cute! You must me Yoshizawa. I'm Catherine, Ren's aunt." She introduced.

Sumire blushed at the compliment. Seems everyone in this family agrees she was cute. At least it was only Mika who flirted with her.

"Nice to meet you ma'am. I'm Sumire Yoshizawa. It's a pleasure." She bowed.

"Oh? A girl with manners? Our Momo did good." Catherine giggled.

Ren lowered his head and mumbled something about wanting to die but Sumire patted his knee. Sumire turned back to Ren's aunt and realized just how beautiful she was. She almost reminded her of Ann in a lot of ways.

"I guess I should also get it out of the way that I'm a demon. A succubus to be exact." She suddenly stated.

Seeing no one really react was almost shocking to Sumire. She recalled the fact that Ren had told his family about the Metaverse and his father had experiences with the supernatural. Now that she thought about it, she wondered if this was the same demon Vincent was talking about.

"I am. Vincent and I had a fling due to a series of misunderstandings." Catherine explained as if she was reading her mind.

Sumire looked over to the two other adults who just kept eating as if that bomb wasn't just dropped. Sumire turned back to Ren who shrugged.

"Told you. Complicated. Sheep kept popping up." He explained.

Morgana disappeared to the living room while the others kept eating as if none of that had just happened. Sumire looked around a bit longer before eating. Catherine took a bite of the fish and moaned which caused Sumire to blush and Ren to flinch.

"This is delicious Kathy. You really know what you're doing."

Sumire almost dropped her fork. Did she do that on purpose? She looked at the older woman to see her looking her way with a smirk. She totally just did that on purpose.  
\---------  
The family found their way into the living room after dinner. Sumire noticed that Ren continued to be tense around his sisters even as he petted Morgana who was now laying in his lap. Sumire was sitting on the floor next to him while the three adults were on the couch chatting about something. She looked over to Ren's sisters who to see they were doing their own thing. Mika was looking at some magazine while Aika and Tanaka were playing cards.

"You wanna join?" Tanaka asked.

Sumire decided to go ahead and join the game and shuffled over to the two girls. Aika looked over to her brother and seemed annoyed.

"You want to play to or are you going to sulk over there all night?" She asked rather bitterly.

Ren looked over to his older sister and bit back something he wanted to say. He instead looked down at Morgana and shrugged.

"Can't move. Sorry." He lied.

Aika rolled her eyes and began to shuffle the cards. Sumire looked between the siblings and wondered if she could do anything to help. She blushed at her own idea but decided it was the best course of action.

"If you play we can cuddle." She offered.

She caught Ren's blush and the surprise in Aika's eyes. Ren picked Morgana up and set him down next to Catherine who absent-mindedly petted him causing him to purr. Ren then made his way next to his girlfriend and grabbed his own cards.

"That worked?" She heard Aika mumble under her breath.

Suddenly the game had yet another player as Mika took a seat next to her little sister.

"If she's promising cuddles then you can count me in!" She declared.

"I don't think she was talking to you." Aika said while she passed out the final cards.

In the end, Ren had won three games in a row which seemed to frustrate Mika and surprise Tanaka. Aika was looking at her little brother almost impressed but Sumire could tell that the tension was thick. Finally she stood up and turned to her brother.

"We need to talk. Mika you to." She ordered.

She walked out before anyone could protest. Mika didn't seem to resist as she stood up and followed her sister outside. Ren sat there for a moment.

"I'll be right back. You owe me some cuddles." He teased.

He stood up and walked outside to the backyard leaving Sumire with Tanaka and the three adults.

"So Sumire, I have some questions." Catherine suddenly said.

Sumire moved herself so she was looking at her only to see her smirking.

"Have you and Momo done it yet?"

While Catherine was getting scolded by Vincent and Kathy, Sumire was left as a blushing mess.  
\---------  
"Ok what do you want?" Ren asked as he closed the door behind him.

He took a few more steps before he stopped at the familiar sight of his sisters standing around in a circle. This was their thing when they were little kids. Late at night they would sneak out and talk like this before everything fell apart. Aika had her arms crossed while Mika had hers behind her back.

"What is your problem?" Aika bluntly asked.

Ren raised an eyebrow as he placed his hands into his pocket. He glared at the older girl while Mika seemed nervous.

"What are you talking about?" He asked unamused.

"Look, I wasn't going to say anything but ever since you came back from Tokyo you've been giving us the cold shoulder. Actually you know what? Scratch that. You've been giving us the cold shoulder since you decided to run away from home all the time when we were kids." Aika stated.

Ren chuckled as he rolled his eyes.

"So this is what you wanted. To bring me out here and start asking the obvious. Thanks for at least not doing it in front of my girlfriend. I appreciate it." He mocking smiled.

"This isn't a joke Ren." Aika scolded.

"Can you just please talk to us?" Mika asked.

Ren looked to his twin and sighed.

"Fine. Fine! What is it exactly you want from me?" He asked.

"Answers. You're always out of the house and avoiding us. Your girlfriend had to bribe you to play cards with us." Aika interrogated.

Ren just shurgged as he looked at the ground.

"Because I don't want to be here." He quietly said.

Aika and Mika looked at each other before turning back to their brother.

"You don't want to be here?" Mika repeated.

Ren looked up at them and took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I don't want to be here. You were right Mika. I'm nothing but a fuck up who brings disappointment to the family. I'm not the amazing scholar like you Aika. I'm not the athletic star like you Mika. Hell, Tanaka is in student council! I'm just the black sheep who goes around town being a problem just by existing. The day i was sent away was a day for celebration for Inaba."

He kicked the ground before he continued.

"When I got to Tokyo I was alone and scared. But in the end it was the best year of my life. I met friends who became more of a family the longer I was there. I wasn't the outcast anymore. So when I came back to the place that hated me with siblings who made it very clear how they feel, I wasn't exactly happy. So sorry if I give you "the cold shoulder" or whatever." He finished.

Aika looked furious while Mika was hurt. Ren just stood there suddenly feeling relived. It felt like a weight was lifted from his chest and he almost smiled.

"So we're just a problem to you now?" Aika suddenly asked.

Ren looked at her annoyed as she crossed her arms again.

"I'm sorry you felt so excluded from the family but you didn't exactly try Ren. You were always running off and causing problems so sorry for not believing you were innocent right away. You're not exactly a saint." She pointed out.

"I never claimed to be. I was a kid when I was a little shit. I know that. Sorry I had nothing better to do." Ren glared.

The two stood there staring each other down while Mika watched. She began to play with her thumb before stepping in.

"Guys come on. We all messed up. We're all here now. That's what matters." She tried to reason.

Ren shook his head and started heading back inside before Aika stopped him with some final words.

"Run away like aways."

Ren stopped in his tracks and bit his tongue before he turned around and smiled.

"As long as I don't have to deal with you." He smirked before entering the house.

Aika and Mika stood there before looking to each other.

"What?" Aika asked.

"You were a bit harsh. I know I'm not one to talk after what happened that night but I can see where he's coming from. We kind of pushed him away after he started running away." Mika said.

"So he gets to go away and leave us behind? He's always doing this Mika."

"But look at us. Look at what you just did. He was happy enough for the first time in months now that his girlfriend is here and you chose now to confront him?!"

Aika didn't respond. She knew where she stood in this situation. Her little brother was drifting away and she refused to let him.  
\--------  
When she heard the back door open Sumire turned to see her boyfriend enter the living room looking a bit tired. She could tell that he was troubled but he didn't let it show. Vince t noticed him walk in and must've seen what Sumire did.

"You ok bud?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm just tired." He faked yawned as he moved near Sumire.

He nodded at her and headed towards the stairs before Sumire stood up.

"I think I'll join you. I'm a bit tired to."

She said goodnight to everyone there and followed her beau to his room.

"You can stay and hang out if you want. I was just going to bed." He assured her.

Sumire shook her head.

"I still owe you cuddles remember? Besides, you look like troubled." She stated.

Ren looked at her with a soft smile as he opened the door.

"Alright then. Cuddles it is." He whispered as he let her in.

He followed behind and closed the door.


	4. A Stroll Around Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren takes Sumire for a walk around Inaba where she begins to learn more about Ren's childhood. Sumire talks to Ren's sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No clue if I had already mentioned this but some of this is based on true experiences I had going back to my hometown after spending some time in CA so I appreciate you all for reading.

Morning shined through the blinds and onto Ren's face which annoyed him greatly. He found himself unable to complain since he found the love of his life using his chest as a pillow. He smiled and allowed himself to be lazy as he closed his eyes again. Unfortunately peace only lasted a few more seconds before there was a bang downstairs.

"Looks like dad's awake." He groaned.

He saw Sumire begin to stir and waited until she was awake before he sat up against the head rest. She finally looked up to him and he had to mentally stop himself from teasing her about her messy hair. She sat up next to him and looked out the window.

"Morning." Ren smirked.

Summit turned back to him and gave him a quick kiss.

"Good morning." She said sweetly.

If they weren't in a house filled with people, one of which still had virgin ears, he would suggest they have fun. This wasn't possible however so he had to go with plan b. Take her to his favorite breakfast place in Inaba.

"Want breakfast?" He asked.

She just nodded and hopped out of bed to get ready. Ren stayed there and watched as she looked through her bag for her clothes only stopping to catch him staring. She started to blush which caused him to chuckle.

"C-can you look away please?" She asked.

Ren decided he had enough fun and got out of bed before grabbing his own clothes and heading to the bathroom. Once he entered the hallway he found himself closing the door the same time Mika was opening hers. The two looked at each other before Ren brushed pass he to the bathroom. He quickly got dressed and washed up before heading back out towards his room to let Sumire know that the bathroom was now free. Instead he found his twin hugging his girlfriend as she repeatedly called her cute and made sexual innuendos. Sumire stood there blushing before she looked up as if asking for help.

"Bathroom is open. We'll head out once you finish up." He said before closing the door once again.

He headed downstairs and found his father cleaning the mess he had made which consisted of broken glass and empty cans that he, his mother, and aunt must've been responsible for. He let out a yawn as he tied up the plastic bag he was throwing the stuff in.

"Morning pops." Ren greeted.

Vincent looked around before spotting his son.

"Hey bud. You going to show Sumire around?"

Ren nodded and offered to take the bag outside. Vincent thanked him before turning around to pick up a second one. The two headed outside to the front yard where the trashcan was.

"Sooooo. What happened last night with your sisters?" Vincent suddenly asked.

Ren sighed. Of course he would be one to notice. Vincent stood next to the trash can along with his son.

"Aika asked me why I was giving them the cold shoulder. Said I was always running away." He confessed.

Vincent nodded and slid his hands in his pockets mirroring his son. Ren was taller than his father but it was clear Vincent was older.

"She doesn't mean it. She just misses you. We all did." He tried to explain.

Ren shook his head.

"She does. She isn't wrong either. If I had a dollar for every time I ran away from home and slept at the creek I could've bailed myself out. I felt like I didn't belong here so I left."

Vincent looked at his son and let out a breath. He then lifted a hand to ruffle Ren's hair.

"Don't go getting down on yourself. I get it. Really I do. I was always trying to impress your grandparents growing up and I ended up in the same situation as you. I felt like I didn't belong. The only difference was that you have sisters. Impressive sisters to. Aika was the tip of her class 5 years in a row and had a chance to go into any college she wanted. Mika is a national champion in softball and soccer. Tanaka has been in student council since she was able to run. They cast a huge shadow." Vincet stated.

Ren groaned at the praise but Vincent wasn't done yet.

"I'm proud of them. All of them. But I'm also proud of you. More than you could ever know."

Ren looked at his father confused only to find him smiling.

"I knew you were innocent. Trust me. We fought like hell. The things Mika said weren't true. You're not a disappointment. You're Ren. My son. My only son. Yeah you ran away alot. Big deal. We always knew where you were."

"Then why did you leave me alone?" Ren asked.

"Because you needed your space. You needed to cast your own shadow. And you did. You needed space to breathe so me and your mom let you be. Of course we would check in every once and a while to make sure you were safe." Vincent revealed.

Ren gave it some thought but quickly snapped out of it when Sumire exited the house and made her way over to them. Vincent nodded his head and said his greetings to Sumire before heading back to the house.

"Gotta wake up your mom and Catherine." He said waving as he left.  
\---------  
Inaba was a nice place to walk around. Ren suggested they just walk to the restaurant instead of driving there. It was a good choice. The two walked hand in hand talking about Sumire's last compilation which she placed 2nd. Just as Ren felt more relax from the night before, he felt the eyes of others on him.

"There goes that Amamiya boy."

"Up to trouble no doubt."

"Keep a close eye on your purse hun."

"Poor girl. She probably doesn't even know who he really is."

Ren closed his eyes and sighed as Sumire began to take notice of everyone looking at them as they passed by. She looked to her beau who simply pretended to not hear them. She assumed he was pretty good at ignoring them after a whole year at Shujin. Ren kept his head held high before they ended up passing by a shop. The older woman smiled at the two which in turn caused Ren to smile.

"Good morning Ms. Kujikawa. How are you doing?" Ren greeted.

"I'm doing great sweetie. And who is this lovely girl?"

Ren introduced Sumire to the woman who welcomed her to Inaba and offered the two a free sample. They turned her down but thanked her regardless.

"Oh I almost forgot. Rise and Yu wanted to thank you for house sitting. They wanted to know if you were free for dinner tomorrow."

"I will be. Perfect time to introduce them to Sumire. Thank you for letting me know."

The lady asked for his help in moving some boxes in the back which Ren of course agreed to. As he left to the back Ms. Kujikawa chatted with Sumire who found her presence comforting. She decided now was a good time to ask someone who knew Ren about the whispers.

"Can I ask you something? Regarding Ren?" Sumire asked.

"Of course sweetie."

"Well, on the way here I heard some of the other residents talking. I was just wondering why people were acting so strange." Sumire questioned.

The old woman's face fall into a sad one as she looked out towards the other shops.

"Well, it has always been like this. Amamiya was an odd boy. Not a lot of friends and always in trouble. He's a good boy who has a good heart. He had a reputation for running away from home and stealing candy. The day he was arrested everyone turned on him. It almost broke my heart." She explained with a hand on her chest.

She turned to see Sumire slightly shocked. She placed a hand on her arm and smiled.

"But if he made friends and got a beautiful girl to fall for him, then who am I to complain?"

Sumire ended up smiling. Ren returned and Ms. Kujikawa thanked him but Ren refused the payment.

"Just happy to help when I can." He assured.

They said their goodbyes and went on their way. Ren continued to talk up the pancakes claiming they were the best he ever had. Sumire listened to him rant about the fluffiness with a smile.

"I cannot stress it enough Sumire. These pancakes would put Akechi's to shame."

He suddenly caught what he had said and was about to change the subject but Sumire stopped it.

"Akechi made pancakes?" She asked.

Ren just nodded and smiled when they reached the restaurant. He held the door open for her and got a table for two. Ren and Sumire decided to walk around the town after breakfast as Ren showed her some places he found interesting. Of course passerbys either greeted him or had something to say once they thought they were out of ear shot. Ren shrugged it off like nothing but Sumire couldn't help but feel angry for him.

"And this is the creek. Also known as my second home right after LeBlanc." Ren announced as they reached a wooded area.

Sumire looked through the branches and noticed the water running through the trees.

"If you walk up that way a bit there's a clearing. Can't find it unless you know where it is. I spent a lot of nights there. Probably more than my own bed." Ren chuckled.

Sumire looked up to her boyfriend and smiled. It was good to see him finally relaxing. She leaned against him and he placed his arm around her shoulder.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love me to." Ren smirked.

Sumire playfully pushed him which Ren allowed.  
\--------  
Once they got back to the house Vincent asked Ren for some help in the backyard. Once Ren was gone, Sumire was left alone in the house before Kathrine walked in and greeted her.

"Hello sweetie. Do you need any water or maybe tea?" She asked.

"No, I'm fine thank you."

Catherine suddenly came stumbling downstairs wearing a shirt that was too big for her that reached down to her thighs.

"Oh! Good morning Sumire! How did you sleep?"

Sumire looked at Catherine then at Kathy. She noticed the marks on their collarbones and sudden began to piece together what was going on. She decided it was best to keep it to herself. After talking to them for a bit longer she felt a hand on her shoulder. Aika was standing there looking down at her.

"Can we talk upstairs?"

She left without getting an answer leaving Sumire with no choice. She followed the older girl up the steps and into a bedroom that was across from Ren's. Morgana poked his head out of Tanaka's room and felt as if something was going to happen.

Once Aika closed the door she turned to Sumire and crossed her arms.

"Look, let's get this out of the way before I start asking questions. I like you. I think you're a good girl with a great head on your shoulders. You're talented and I think you can do so much better than my brother."

Sumire tilted her head a bit confused.

"I know you know that he was upset last night. In truth I confronted him about some concerns I had. Nothing against you. Well, not entirely."

Aika walked over to her desk where a picture of her, Ren, Mika, and Tanaka sat. They were children still and Sumire noticed a bandage on Ren's cheek.

"He left Tokyo for a year because he didn't mind his own business. That entire year he didn't talk to me or Mika once. Regardless we heard about him through our parents. He was making friends and doing good in school. He was excelling in ways he never did here. I was mad. Furious. Then come to find out he had a girlfriend when he never looked at anyone here. Last night he told me he felt more at home there. It hurt."

Sumire didn't know what to say. She wondered if she was supposed to apologize but what was the point in that? Ren was happy and that was enough for her.

"He never planted any roots here. This is his home. We are his family. I don't like the idea of anyone taking him from us. That does include you. So what I am trying to say is Ren doesn't need you." She stated.

Sumire was taken aback. She would also be lying if she said she didn't feel a bit hurt. This was Ren's sister who was telling her all of this. Ren didn't need her? She knew that. She knew that better than anyone. She fell in love with him first. Sumire clenched her fists and stood her ground. If there was one thing she learned from her lover, it was to never back down.

"I'm sorry you think that way. That being said, you're right. Ren doesn't need me. But that's because he is stronger than you think. He made a home in Tokyo with us because we accepted him for who he is. We didn't push him away or turn our backs when push came to shove. We were there by his side. I don't think there is anyone to blame but I think Ren made these choices for a reason. If you can't understand that then it is your fault."

Sumire didn't wait for a response. She turned on her heels and walked out of the room leaving Aika alone. Morgana quickly hid away when Sumire came marching out and storming into Ren's room. He leaned over to make sure no one saw him before walking to the middle of the hall.

"This could be a problem. I should tell Ren." He decided.

He then ran off downstairs to find his partner.


	5. Siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana tells Ren about what he heard. Sumire talks to Catherine about Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back

Morgana found Ren in the backyard with his dad. Him and Vincent were fixing a hole in the fence. It looked to be an easy fix. Morgana walked up to them and tried to get the teens attention.

"Ren!"

Vincent looked down at the cat and smiled. He then looked to his son.

"I think he wants you. I got it from here." He said.

Ren let go of the wood he was holding, it held on its own, and followed Morgana towards the house.

"What's up partner?" Ren asked in his relaxed mood.

"I need to tell you something." Morgana explained.

They stopped near the door and Morgana hopped up on the table.

"Aika was talking to Yoshisawa and said that you didn't need her. She was really digging into her. Sumire looked like she was about to cry." He reported.

Ren's eyes grew wide before being replaced by anger.

"Why didn't you start with that?!" He yelled.

He turned to enter the house but Morgana jumped in front of him.

"What are you going to do?" The cat asked.

"I'm going to comfort my girlfriend then tell my sister to get that stick out of her ass. She has no right to say anything to Sumire." He stated.

He walked past Morgana, who had to move out of the way, and opened the door before almost slaming it. Morgana shook his head.

"I think I messed up." He mumbled.

He decided to sit this one out and walked over to Vincent. From around the corner Tanaka walked out. She looked very worried.

"This can't be good." She thought aloud.  
\-----------  
Ren found himself storming up the steps only to be stopped by Mika who was sitting in the living room.

"Where are you going bro?" She asked.

Ren looked at the couch and saw that Cathrine was there as well. He pointed to the blonde woman.

"Your daughter said something to Sumire. Do me a favor and tell her to mind her own damn business." He stated.

He ignored Mika's protests and headed upstairs. He found Sumire in his room sitting on the bed and looking out the window. She was clenching his pillow to her chest. Just seeing her like this made Ren's blood boil.

"Hey." He announced as he closed the door.

Sumire snapped her head towards him in surprise. She quickly put on a smile to pretend nothing had happened. She lowered the pillow as Ren approached. He couldn't be mad right now.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Sumire grew red in the cheeks before she buried her face back into the pillow. Ren sat on the bed next to her and pulled her closer. He then planted a kiss on her head before pulling her back with him. The two laid on the soft bed in silence.

"I'm sorry." Sumire suddenly apologized.

Ren lifted her chin so that she was looking at him.

"You never have to apologize to me." He assured.

In his eyes, she could do no wrong. His sister on the other hand....

"No. I'm part of the reason you hate it here." She explained.

Is that what Aika told her?

"You're not. I hate it here because it's not home. My home is in Tokyo with you and the others. My room is the attic above LeBlanc." He declared.

He saw tears form in her eyes. She just nuzzled herself closer to him and cried. Ren wrapped his arms around her and let her. He will definitely deal with his sister, but right now his girlfriend needed his attention first.  
\---------  
Sumire woke up before Ren did. She was still in his embrace and she wondered what the time was. Judging by the night sky, it was late. She slowly sat up, careful not to wake up her lover, and slipped out of bed. She was in need of the bathroom. Once she had quietly closed the door, she realized that the hall light was still on. Once she had finished washing up and changing into sleepwear, she headed back to Ren's room.

"Oh, you're awake."

Sumire looked towards the stairs and saw Kathrine looking at her.

"Perfect. I actually need to talk to you." She stated.

Another family member talk? Great. She wondered if she could handle another one. She followed Kathrine down to the living room where she realized Vincent was. He was lounging on the couch with a can of beer in his hand.

"Vince, dear, I need you to leave." Kathrine ordered.

Vincent groaned and signaled to his drink.

"Go upstairs and drink it in the room. Cathy is probably lonely up there since I'm busy."

Vincent just let out a annoyed groan before rolling off the couch. He told them goodnight before disappearing up the stairs. Kathrine then sat on the couch and signaled for Sumire to follow. Once she sat down katherine offered her a drink. Once Sunire realized she was referring to the alcohol on the table, she refused. Kathrine just shrugged and grabbed one for herself.

"Now, about what happened earlier today." She started.

Sumire watched as she opened the can and took a drink from it.

"Aika had no right to attack you like that." She stated.

Sumire was almost shocked. So Ren's mother agreed she was in the wrong.

"That being said, don't listen to anything she says."

She took another drink and sighed.

"As I'm sure you figured out by now, Ren's relationship with his sisters is a bit strained. Ren never really fit in with them. Something about him was just different. I'm sure most would chop it up as him being the only boy but that doesn't seem to be the case." Kathrine explained.

"Ren said something like that yesterday. He said that he and Mika got into a fight when they were kids. Something about her lashing out at him when he was arrested." Sumire recalled.

Kathrine nodded.

"Mika had told him that he was a disappointment to the family. Called him a "fuck up" to be exact. She feels awful about it but it was too late to apologize." She revealed.

That's what happened? Sumire had no clue. Ren never said it was that bad.

"When I found out that he was happy in Tokyo, I was glad. He had made amazing friends during his time there. We almost didn't want to make him come back. We missed him but we know his heart isn't here. It's in the city. With all of you."

Sumire looked down at her hands. So everyone saw it then.

"Me and Vincent were talking. We decided that we're going to let him attend his third year there." Kathrine suddenly revealed.

Sumire's eyes lit up. Her senpai was going back to Tokyo. He'll be back to the place that made him happy.

"We haven't told him yet so you'll have to keep that a secret. I also know that his sisters won't be very happy." Kathrine said sadly.

She took another drink before placing the can onto the table.

"As long as he's happy, then I am as well. Vincent is in agreement. I'm sure you have no protests."

"No! None at all. I would love to see Ren come back to Tokyo." Sumire assured.

Kathrine smiled at her enthusiastic behavior.

"You are absolutely perfect for Ren. I want three grandkids from you." She decided.

Sumire's smile was quickly replaced with an embarrassed face. At least she approves. She looked up at the clock and wondered if she could talk some more.

"Excuse me Ms...."

"Just call me Katherine."

"Oh. Ok. Well Katherine, if you don't mind, could I ask some questions about Ren?" She asked.

The older woman just smiled.

"Of course hun. Ask away."

They spent a good hour talking about the former Phantom Thief before calling it a night. Sumire said her goodnight before Katherine disappeared to her room. Oddly enough Sumire already heard two people snoring. Weird. The young girl returned to Ren's room and silently got back into bed.

She laid there for a moment looking at the sleeping teen. He looked so peaceful. She couldn't wait until he heard the news. She snuggled up to his body and closed her eyes. Today was rough, but she was just glad to be here.


End file.
